402 CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW. 



being covered with feathers, the bill is entirely concealed, excepting 

 only that part which is beyond the nostrils. The gape extends to be- 

 neath the posterior margin of the eye, and has its lateral outline singu- 

 larly curved. From the anterior margin of the eye to near the nostril 

 is a series of feathers having very strong shafts, terminating in an 

 elastic filamentous point, and with the barbs or lateral filaments ex- 

 tremely slender, distant, and not extended beyond the middle of the 

 shaft. The direction of these feathers is downwards, forwards, and 

 outwards, and although they can easily be deflected beyond the per- 

 pendicular, they cannot be forced upwards beyond the horizontal. The 

 horny covering of the mandibles is extremely narrow, and the nostrils 

 are subterminal, elliptical, horizontal, inclined obliquely outward, pa- 

 tulous, marginate, 1\ twelfth by 1 twelfth. 



The aperture of the mouth is of extreme width, measuring 1 inch 

 7^ twelfths, and being thus wider than the cranium. The roof of the 

 mouth is a little concave anteriorly, with two longitudinal ridges on 

 the outer side of each of which is a deep cavity, while between them, 

 as well as at the back part, are numerous papillae. The posterior aper- 

 ture of the nares is linear, 8 twelfths long, with the septum apparent 

 in its whole length. The space between the palatal ridges and the 

 edges of the mandibles is covered with a very thin diaphanous mem- 

 brane, covering the eye and the cavity of the nose. It is on account 

 of this transparency of the roof of the mouth that some shallow-brained 

 observers have conjectured the possibility of the bird directing its eyes 

 so as to look through the palate, — an action which is rendered impos- 

 sible by the manner in which the eye is fixed in its orbit, and by its 

 form, which the ingenious persons alluded to must have conceived to 

 be perfectly globular, whereas it is much depressed, convex only at the 

 base, but anteriorly with the sides concave, owing to the curvature of 

 the sclerotic bones ; so that, if the bird were to turn its eye forward 

 and inward, one-half of it would project out of the socket. After all, 

 this contemptible absurdity is not worthy of a serious refutation. The 

 lower jaw is very remarkable in having on each side two distinct pieces, 

 of which the basal is If inch in length, and much curved in the 

 horizontal plane, its convexity being outward ; the other portion, 11 

 twelfths in length, very slender, and directed forwards and inwards, 

 with a considerable curvature downwards. The Goatsuckers are the 

 only American land birds that have thus the lower jaw composed of two 

 bones on each side, with A very loose joint. The tongue is very small. 



